Thursday, December 22, 2011 - DT 26674

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26674
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26674]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

Even with the correct solutions, there were a handful of clues for which I did not comprehend the wordplay.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

12a   Artist left after nothing said (4)

RA^[5] is the abbreviation for Royal Academician, a member of the Royal Academy of the Arts^[5], an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain.

25a   What can make car chap has to get round to? (9)

The definition is "What can make". Automaton is another name for a robot.

5d   A delicate matter in New Jersey, say? (3,6)

I must admit that I didn't completely understand the wordplay here. International Kidney is a cultivar of potato grown primarily as a new potato. In the UK, they are best known as Jersey Royal potatoes^[7] which are grown only in Jersey. Jersey Royal is a Trade mark.

7d   People in authority admitting leading a form of government (8)

I also missed the wordplay here, which is THEY (people in authority) containing (admitting) ARCH (leading).

13d   Leaders, real idiots in disarray (10)

In Britain, a leader^[2] (or leading article) is an article in a newspaper, etc. written to express the opinions of the editor.

15d   Dog inflamed crossword compiler (3,6)

In Britain, red setter^[5] is an informal name for an Irish setter.

16d   Popular batting order (2,6)

In cricket, in^[5] means batting. In baseball, a team is said to be up [at (or to) bat] while in cricket a team is in.

17d   Book about knight and time on one idyllic island? (8)

This is the clue where I needed a bit of electronic assistance, although it does not seem especially difficult in hindsight. In modern chess notation, the symbol for knight is N (since K is used for king). In older systems of notation, knight was abbreviated as Kt.

20d   Number crossing mouth of Red River (6)

The Severn^[5] is a river of SW Britain. Rising in central Wales, it flows north-east then south in a broad curve for some 290 km (180 miles) to its mouth on the Bristol Channel.

References: 
^[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2] - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3] - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
^[7] - Wikipedia
^[8] - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
^[9] - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - DT 26673

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26673
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, October 3, 2011
Setter Rufus
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26673]
Big Dave's Review Written By Libellule
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★ / ★★	Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes The National Post has skipped DT 26669 through DT 26672 which were published in The Daily Telegraph from Wednesday, September 28, 2011 to Saturday, October 1, 2011

Introduction

As I solved this puzzle, I sensed that it did not feel like the typical Jay puzzle which I was expecting today. This feeling was well-founded as it turns out that it is a Rufus puzzle. For some reason, the National Post has skipped three puzzles that would normally have been published in addition to the Saturday puzzle which it normally skips. While on the whole not a very difficult puzzle, I did not have a clue on 4d - or, more correctly, I should say that I did not have a solution.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

1a   Nice bit of fluff? Don’t whistle, that’s rude! (11)

Here I resorted to help from a program to generate a list of words matching the checking letters. The first program that I tried returned no hits, but the second program returned a single possibility (which was the correct solution).

12a   Explorer is eating last of sledge dogs (8)

Robert Falcon Scott^[7] (1868 – 1912) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13. During this second venture, Scott led a party of five which reached the South Pole on 17 January 1912, only to find that they had been preceded by Roald Amundsen's Norwegian expedition. On their return journey, Scott and his four comrades all perished from a combination of exhaustion, starvation and extreme cold.

13a   Don went down with a cry of pain (6)

In Britain, a fellow^[5] is an incorporated senior member of a college and a don^[5] is a university teacher, especially a senior member of a college at Oxford or Cambridge. I may be wrong but I suspect that the word "incorporated" may refer to the individual's status as a member of the governing body of the college.

At Colleges of the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Trinity College, Dublin, full fellows form the governing body of the college. They may elect a Council to handle day-to-day management. All fellows are entitled to certain privileges within their colleges, which may include dining at High Table (free of charge) and possibly the right to a room in college (free of charge).^[7]

23a   Individual away from work, just this once (3-3)

One-off^[5] is a British term that can be used both as an adjective, meaning done, made, or happening only once (a one-off benefit show) or as noun, denoting (1) something done, made, or happening only once (the meeting is a one-off) or (2) a unique or remarkable person (he’s a one-off, no one else has his skills).

27a   Allows real changes in better systems (9)

"Better systems" is a (deliberately misleading) cryptic way of saying, in Libellule's words, "systems of betting on horse races". The Tote^[5] (a British trademark) is a system of betting based on the use of the totalizator, in which dividends are calculated according to the amount staked rather than odds offered (he has taken a risk with the tote).

1d   One of many carried by the caddy (3,4)

A caddy^[5] (also tea caddy) is a chiefly British term for a small tin in which tea is kept for daily use.

4d   This way for a place? You bet! (4)

Each-way^[5] is a British term related to betting on races. It may be either an adjective or adverb, and describes a bet divided into two equal wagers, one backing a horse or other competitor to win and the other backing it to finish in the first three. As an adjective, a usage example might be "he could be worth an each-way bet" while, as an adverb "we put the same bet each way on a horse". As an adjective, it can also mean to come first, second, or third in a race, considered from a betting point of view (Travado has an each-way chance). Even having learned this much, the clue was still incomprehensible to me - but there is yet more to discover.

In Britain, place^[5] means any of the first three or sometimes four positions in a race (used especially of the second, third, or fourth positions). In North America, on the other hand, place^[5] means the second position. With that bit of information, the meaning of the clue suddenly becomes clear.

5d   Gloomy, although recovered from eye problem (8)

According to Oxford, a cast^[5] is a slight squint (he had a cast in one eye) while Collins defines it as a fixed twist or defect, especially in the eye^[4].

6d   The fall that followed Eve (5)

The correct solution became quite obvious once I had generated a list of words matching the checking letters.

16d   Crank, socially and mechanically (9)

We are looking for an adjective that would apply to crank in both its social context and its mechanical context. Thus a person who might be deemed to be a crank is one who is eccentric^[5] (unconventional and slightly strange) while a crank is a mechanical device in which a part (e.g., a handle) is not located in line with the axis of rotation - i.e., this part is said to be eccentric (with respect to the axis of rotation).

17d   One whose pictures attract lots of admiration (4,4)

This is one of those cryptic definitions that only seems cryptic if you happen to have fallen for the element of deception. In this clue, we are likely expected to think of an esteemed photographer, perhaps. However, the element of deception is pretty weak and if motion picture was the first image to come to mind, the clue hardly seems cryptic at all.

25d   A pound’s put on for services (4)

My difficulty with this clue has no rational explanation. I am positive that I ran the correct solution through my mind and dismissed it as not being a word - despite, I am sure, having encountered it innumerable times. It was only when I saw it in a list of words matching the checking letters that it finally clicked in that this really is a word.

References: 
^[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2] - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3] - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
^[7] - Wikipedia
^[8] - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
^[9] - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 DT 26668

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26668
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26668]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★	Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

Today we have a not overly difficult offering from a mystery setter.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

1a   Wild revelry after tea? Strange but not, that is, for one in ancient race (10)

In Britain, tea might be informally referred to as either cha, chai or char^[5]. In his clue, Gazza alludes to incidents that occurred in England between 6 and 10 August 2011, in which several London boroughs and districts of cities and towns across England suffered widespread rioting, looting and arson [read more]^[7] .

12a   Clearly pantomime footwear (5,8)

A pantomime^[5] is a traditional British theatrical entertainment, mainly for children, which involves music, topical jokes, and slapstick comedy and is based on a fairy tale or nursery story, usually produced around Christmas.

14a   Man U stew about possible pen (4,4)

Man U is short for Manchester United Football Club^[7], an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League.

15a   Guaranteed missing Old Master will be painstakingly drawn (6)

In the US, the solution would be spelled prized. This is one case where I believe the Canadian practice is to use the British spelling prised.

17a   With Tottenham’s fifth, no exclamation of disgust is sufficient (6)

Tottenham^[7] is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated 6.6 miles (10.6 km) north north east of Charing Cross [note: Charing Cross is considered to be the centre of London]. It is the home of the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club^[7], commonly referred to as the Spurs, an English Premier League football club. I'm not sure if the term "Tottenham's fifth" has any special significance in the surface reading.

19a   Laurel and Hardy’s separate starts in knockabout comic western — a ready source of money (5-3)

Although not identified as such in any of the dictionaries that I consulted, milch cow^[2] would appear to be a British expression. It means something or someone that is seen as a source of easy income or profit. This is very similar - if not identical - in meaning to cash cow^[5], a figure of speech well-known in North America and seemingly also used in Britain.

24a   Support in advance of Kasabian’s first record with commercials a source of friction (5,4)

An EP (short for extended play) is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play (SP) records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact Discs and music downloads as well. [read more]^[7]

2d   Okay but not quite entirely correct? (7)

In his review, Gazza comments "the spelling of the answer is frowned upon by some purists (although, as the ODE points out, similar constructions like “altogether” are accepted)". Specifically the ODE (Oxford Dictionary of English) advises "Although all right can also be spelled alright, you should use all right in formal writing."^[5] The ODE prefaces this by saying:

The merging of all and right to form the one-word spelling alright is not recorded until the end of the 19th century (unlike other similar merged spellings such as altogether and already, which date from much earlier). There is no logical reason for insisting on all right as two words, when other single-word forms such as altogether have long been accepted. Nevertheless it is still considered by many people to be unacceptable in formal writing.

The American Heritage Dictionary provides a similar note of caution:

Despite the appearance of the form alright in works of such well-known writers as Langston Hughes and James Joyce, the single word spelling has never been accepted as standard. This is peculiar, since similar fusions such as already and altogether have never raised any objections. The difference may lie in the fact that already and altogether became single words back in the Middle Ages, whereas alright has only been around for a little more than a century and was called out by language critics as a misspelling. Consequently, one who uses alright, especially in formal writing, runs the risk that readers may view it as an error or as the willful breaking of convention.^[3]

5d   Former member of string quartet losing inclination to get better (5)

In this case, "member of string quartet" refers to a cellist not a cello.

18d   Rating from previous season? (3,4)

In Britain, a rating^[5] is a non-commissioned sailor in the navy. When Gazza uses the term "league tables" in his hint, he  is referring to what we would call league standings. I must admit that I did need a gentle prod from my electronic help on this one (having gotten another expression stuck in my mind).

20d   Senior officer getting on top of honey-trap’s budget (7)

In espionage, a honeypot (more often called a honeytrap) is a trap set to capture, kill or compromise a person, commonly but not necessarily an opposition agent, officer, or employee, using sex as the lure.

References: 
^[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2] - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3] - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
^[7] - Wikipedia
^[8] - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
^[9] - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, December 19, 2011 DT 26667

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26667
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, September 26, 2011
Setter Rufus
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26667]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★ / ★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes The National Post has skipped DT 26666 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, September 24, 2011

Introduction

This is the usual gentle start to the week that we have come to expect from Rufus. He is recognized as a master of the cryptic definition, and I thought his skill in this area was particularly well-demostrated today.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

6a   What many, in panic, make themselves (6)

This clue is a lovely semi & lit. (or, as Big Dave prefers to call it, semi all-in-one). The entire clue is a cryptic definition of the solution, which is also given by a bit of wordplay (many, in panic) which is embedded in the clue. The use of many, a large number, and other similar words or phrases to signify a large Roman numeral is a cryptic crossword convention.

10a   Lovely girl, outwardly competent (8)

The woman chosen by Gazza to illustrate the clue is Dora Bryan^[7], an English actress who has appeared on stage, film and television.

13a   Receive notice of termination and become agitated (3,3,4,2)

According to The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition get (or have) the wind up means to become (or be) nervous, apprehensive or agitated. I was surprised to see that, in this expression, wind is used in the sense of a current of air (I had presumed that it was used in the same sense as in the following expressions). Chambers 21st Century Dictionary says to wind someone up is (1) to make them tense, nervous or excited, or (2) to taunt or tease them. It also states that wind-up is a noun meaning the taunting or teasing of someone, e.g. the playing of a practical joke on them. In these later two instances, wind is used in the sense of to turn, twist or coil.

19a   Embryo to fuse together somehow (6)

Foetus^[5] is the common British spelling of fetus. Oxford says "The spelling foetus has no etymological basis but is recorded from the 16th century and until recently was the standard British spelling in both technical and nontechnical use. In technical usage fetus is now the standard spelling throughout the English-speaking world, but foetus is still quite commonly found in British English outside technical contexts."

21a   Clumsy former spouse in Pinter play (8)

Although the information has no real bearing on one's ability to solve the clue, Harold Pinter^[7] (1930 – 2008) was a Nobel Prize-winning English playwright and screenwriter.

25a   Well acquainted with the metric system (6)

I needed a gentle nudge from one of my electronic friends to push me out of the field of science and engineering measurement and into the realm of poetry.

4d   Stout friends, about 50, who share digs (9)

Flat^[5] is the British name for what North Americans would call an apartment.

5d   Stay faithful (7)

As an adjective, staunch^[2] means loyal and as a verb it means to stop the flow of (something). The word may be spelled in a variety of ways depending on which part of speech it may be, which side of the Atlantic it happens to be on , and seemingly which dictionary one chooses to follow. The Oxford Dictionary of English advises "Remember that staunch^[5] is spelled with -au- in the middle (the spelling stanch is American)". However, the Collins English Dictionary seems to take a contradictory position by showing staunch^[4] as a variant spelling of stanch^[4] (as a verb and a noun) with the latter spelling being the main entry. The American Heritage Dictionary is also not totally aligned with Oxford's characterization of American usage, proclaiming that "Staunch^[3] is more common than stanch as the spelling of the adjective. Stanch is more common than staunch as the spelling of the verb."

14d   Two wines favoured in York (5,4)

The War of the Roses (1455 - 1485) was fought between the House of Lancaster (whose symbol was the red rose) and the House of York (represented by the white rose).

17d   A classical way to gain height as a flier (7)

Here, the wordplay is A (from the clue) + VIA (classical way; Latin word for 'road') + (to gain) TOR (height; a high point of land). The phrase "to gain" serves as a charade indicator and the word "as" is a link word between the wordplay and definition (which is "a flier").

20d   An MP must do so before he can sit (5)

 A Member of Parliament (MP) must stand for election before he can take a seat in Parliament.

22d   Indicate position in field (5)

I failed to grasp the reference to cricket and tried (not very convincingly) to concoct a meaning having to do with a compass needle in a magnetic field. In cricket, a point^[5] is (1) a fielding position on the off side near the batsman or (2) a fielder at the point position.

References: 
^[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2] - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3] - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
^[7] - Wikipedia
^[8] - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
^[9] - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, December 17, 2011 - Miscellanea

Introduction

Today we have a puzzle from Cox and Rathvon without any clear theme - as far a I can discern. If a sharp-eyed reader happens to have detected something that I have overlooked, please leave a comment. [Note: Henry has accepted the challenge and spotted the winter theme in the clues - see comments section below.]

Also today, the National Post published an amended solution for the December 3^rd puzzle, correcting two errors that were present in the solution published on December 10. I presume that, at some point in the production process, the clues were revised without updating the solution. The correct solution for Clue 21a is INCH (rather than TACT) and for 21d is SIESTA (rather than MTOSSA [Mt. Ossa]). I hadn't noticed that the solution published last week was not correct as I rarely look at the solution to the previous week's puzzle.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted; "†" explicit in the clue

Across

1a   SCHILLING - SING (carol [deceptively capitalized]) containing (catching) CHILL (case of the shivers)

I was expecting "case of" to indicate 'the first and last letters of' - I guess I've been doing too many Jay puzzles from the Daily Telegraph! Curt Schilling is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who over the course of his career played for the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox.

6a   _MO|TO|R_ - hidden in (from) KokoMO TO Regina

Driving from Kokomo to Regina would be a rather difficult feat if the setters had in mind the Caribbean location from the Beach Boys' song - or even the spot with that name in Hawaii. Leaving from the city in Indiana or the tiny hamlet in Mississippi would be more feasible. The setters could have upped the Canadian content by choosing a route from Nanaimo to Regina.

9a   DENIM< - reversal (the wrong way) of MINED (picked out)

10a   CO(ALFIE)LD - ALFIE (Jude Law movie) contained in COLD (frigid)

11a   WIN(E TAS<)TER - {reversal of (back) SATE (glut)} contained in (in) WINTER (freezing season)

12a   O(ME)N - ON (†) containing (including) ME (†)

14a   LO|CATE - LO (behold) + CATE (Ms. Blanchett; Australian actress Cate Blanchett)

16a   RUMP|US - RUMP (behind) + US (†)

19a   ROOMER~ - sounds like (heard) RUMOUR (gossip)

20a   P(REST)O - REST (break from work) contained in (in) PO (Post Office)

23a   OOHS~ - sounds like (audited) OOZE (blob)

24a   ENCUMBERED* - anagram (shifted) of DECEMBER UN

27a   {FIRST DOWN}* - anagram (ruined) of SNOWDRIFT

Note to overseas readers: In Canadian and American football, the offensive team is allowed several attempts (called downs - presumably because the ball is downed on the field to start each play) to advance the ball a minimum of ten yards. If they fail to do so within this allotted number of downs, they must turn the ball over to the other team. On the other hand, if they are successful, they maintain possession of the ball and are given another set of downs to advance the ball. The first attempt to advance the ball is called a first down, the second attempt is a second down, etc. A team which advances the ball the minimum of ten yards within the allotted number of downs is said to have gained (or made) a first down - so a first down may also be defined as the act of advancing the ball a minimum of ten yards within the allotted number of downs. In American football, players are given four downs to move the ball ten yards, while Canadian football players are expected to do it in three downs.

28a   IN|GOT - IN (pair of Inuit; i.e., first two letters of INuit) + GOT (acquired)

29a   SEEDY~ - sounds like (given a listen) CD (†)

30a   PE(RIME)TER - RIME (frosty stuff) contained in (swallowed by) PETER (saint at a gate)

In the cryptic reading, the 's must be interpreted as is (a link word between the wordplay (Frosty stuff swallowed by saint at a gate) and the definition (boundary).

Down

1d   SI(DEWA)LK - SILK (†) containing (stocking; in the sense of a shop stocking merchandise) {reversal (back) of AWED (was shocking)}

For British readers, sidewalk is the American term for pavement (and, for North American readers, pavement is the British term for a sidewalk). In North America, pavement refers to the paved surface of the street, so British visitors to North America would be well-advised to avoid walking on the pavement over here!

2d   HUN|AN - HUN (barbarian) + (with) AN (†)

3d   L|IMITATION - L (Liberal) + IMITATION (forgery)

4d   IN CAS|E - INCAS (old Peruvians) + E (energy)

5d   GRATEFUL* - anagram (nuts) of AFTER LUG

6d   MUFF - double definition; "mishandle" & "article of warm clothing"

7d   THE|R|MOSES - THE (†) + R (right) + MOSES (prophet)

8d   RO(DEN)T - DEN (room) contained in (in) ROT (garbage)

13d   OPPROBRIUM* - anagram (awfully) of POOR BURP IM

15d   CAR(T HORS)E - CARE (worry) containing (about) THORS (Norse god's [Thor's])

17d   {BEAN SOUP}* - anagram (misplaced) of SUBPOENA

18d   RO(AD)STER - ROSTER (list) contains (includes) AD (†)

21d   DO|OF|US - DO (hairstyle) + OF (belonging to) + US (our group)

22d   TURNER - R (red) contained in TUNER (piano fixer)

Ike Turner (1931 – 2007) was an American musician best known for his 1960s work with his then wife Tina Turner in the Ike & Tina Turner revue. If from nowhere else, I suppose R as an abbreviation for "red" might come from RGB (red, green, blue), a term used with respect to video interfaces.

25d   _RIGHT - [F]RIGHT (spook) with the first letter deleted (headless)

According to Collins English Dictionary, fright is a poetic word for frighten.

26d   ST(A)Y - A (article) contained in (in) STY (pen)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, December 16, 2011 - DT 26665

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26665
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, September 23, 2011
Setter Giovanni
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26665]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

While overall the puzzle was certainly not too difficult, I did have trouble with 22d. I not only wandered down the wrong path, I went so far that I figuratively ended up in the next county.

You may notice a new feature in today's blog where the clues in the Notes on Today's Puzzle section are colour-coded to match the performance chart in the table above.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

7a   Agreement letting worker join group of thirteen women? (8)

Traditional covens have thirteen members. Why? One source suggests that it relates to the thirteen lunar months in a year. Wicca and witchcraft are closely aligned with the moon and its feminine energy; thus, the number thirteen represents the lunar calendar and signifies wholeness. [read more]

10a/24d   Top performer beginning fantastic run (4,4)

Seemingly a British expression, the star turn^[5] is the person or act that gives the most heralded or impressive performance in a programme • he was stopped by the arrival on stage of the star turn • she was the star turn of the night. Turn^[4]. is a chiefly British theatrical term meaning a short theatrical act, especially in music hall, cabaret, etc. - although this sense of the word does appear in the American Heritage Dictionary (a brief theatrical act or stage appearance)^[3].

11a   Prisoner gets to rave in journey by plane in conspicuously offensive way (10)

In British slang, a lag is a person who has been frequently convicted and sent to prison • both old lags were sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.

12a   Ordinary medicinal plant (6)

A simple^[5] is a chiefly historical term for a medicinal herb, or a medicine made from one • the gatherers of simples. It refers to a class of plants (medicinal herbs) or medicines (those made from medicinal herbs) rather than a specific herb or medicine.

15a   Emergence of female monster with a new head (6)

On my first read through, I jotted down MEDUSA as a possible solution. However, the checking letters from the intersecting down clues eventually ruled this out. I needed to use some electronic help to generate a list of words matching the checking letters before I found the correct solution.

17a   Learner, Young Conservative, starts to entertain upper-class morons in college (6)

Unless today is your first day visiting this blog, you will surely recognize "learner" as standing for L (from the L-plate^[7] that must be displayed on vehicles driven by learner drivers in Britain). The Young Conservatives^[7] was the youth wing of the United Kingdom's Conservative Party until the organisation was replaced in 1998 by Conservative Future. To me, the link between college and lyceum seems a bit tenuous but the words may have a closer relationship in British English. According to the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, a college^[3] is an institution, either self-contained or part of a university, which provides higher education, further education or professional training while a lyceum^[3] is a place or building devoted to teaching, especially literature and philosophy.

25a   Church poles attached to gold banner? (6)

The wordplay is CE (church; Church of England) + N (north [pole]) + S (south [pole]) + OR (gold; heraldic gold tincture).

26a   Nothing right in believer in God who philosophises? (8)

I initially tried to use DEIST in the clue, only to discover that I needed THEIST. The former is a believer in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe^[5] while the latter is a believer in in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe^[5].

3d   Lottery? Rubbish! (6)

The Oxford Dictionary of English defines raffle^[5] to mean rubbish or refuse • the raffle of the yard below. It characterizes this usage as dialect which is perhaps why Gazza describes it as a usage new to him. It would not seem to be a specifically British term as it also appears in the American Heritage Dictionary^[3].

4d   Dull queen just like a portly old soul? (8)

There was no objectipm from the Brits on the spelling of the first element of this charade, even though the Oxford Dictionary of English gives mat as the American spelling for this word which means (with respect to a surface or colour) dull and flat or without a shine. According to Oxford, the principal spelling is matt with matte (the spelling with which I am familiar) being an alternative • prints are available on matt or glossy paper • a matt black. Regina (abbreviation R)^[5] , the Latin word for Queen, is used in Britain and Commonwealth Realms to denote the reigning queen (used following the name of the monarch or in the titles of lawsuits, e.g. Regina v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones).

18d   Most jolly English bishop cramped by troubled times (8)

The "bishop" here is not a chess piece but the ecclesiastical kind. Right Reverend (abbreviaton RR)^[5] is a title given to a bishop, especially in the Anglican Church.

21d   One queen famously wasn’t a maiden to get exploited (6)

In cricket, a maiden, also known as a maiden over, (abbreviation M)^[5] is an over in which no runs are scored. An over^[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end. 

22d   Swimmer on desperate mission avoiding a bank? (6)

Supposing that "swimmer" must refer to a fish, the only thing that I could come up with was LINGER (LING + ER). A ling is a fish but I had no plausible explanation for the ER part. Gazza has the correct solution which is rooted in Greek mythology.

References: 
^[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2] - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3] - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
^[7] - Wikipedia
^[8] - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
^[9] - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, December 15, 2011 - DT 26664

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26664
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, September 22, 2011
Setter Ray T
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26664]
Big Dave's Review Written By Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★	Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

Today we are treated to the usual enjoyable puzzle from Ray T - complete with his trademark reference to the rock band Queen and some slightly naughty wordplay.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

9a   Topless, move rhythmically on pole, maybe (9)

In his hint, Big Dave attributes the PERCH portion of the solution to "a pole for a bird to roost on". There may also be an alternative explanation (which I see that a visitor to Big Dave's site has also suggested). Both pole and perch are old names for a unit of length (as well as a unit of area) also known as a rod. However, such an explanation would not have afforded the opportunity to use the lovely (or provacative) illustration of a bird on a pole [in Britain, bird^[5] is slang for a young woman or a man’s girlfriend].

10a   Square described by Pythagoras? (5)

One must interpret describe^[2] in a geometrical sense, namely to move in the shape or pattern of something • skaters describing circles on the ice. The word describe is often used as a hidden word indicator in cryptic crossword puzzles. Therefore, in the same way as the mark left by the skaters' blades outlines a circular area on the surface of the ice, the outer portions of the word Pythagoras outline the word agora contained within it.

2d   Winds up from opposite directions around ship (5)

In Britain, wind someone up^[5] is an informal expression meaning to tease or irritate someone (she’s only winding me up). Similarly, nark^[5] is another informal British term meaning to cause annoyance to (women like her nark me).

4d   Rifles secure, having been cocked (4)

One meaning of cock^[2] is to stick up. This presumably is the rationale behind its use as a reversal indicator in a down clue.

7d   He drives Morris’s first old Traveller, not posh! (8)

Morris was a make of automobile manufactured by the Morris Motor Company^[7], a British car manufacturing company. Used in its general sense, a traveller could be a tourist. However, by writing the word with a capital, the setter introduces an element of misdirection for British readers who would interpret Traveller^[5] to be a Gypsy or other nomadic person. In Britain, U^[5] is an adjective used informally to mean

(when applied to language or social behaviour) characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes (U manners) - or, in other words, posh.

18d   One’s thrown to get a day off! (6)

In Britain, a sickie^[5] is a day taken as sick leave when one is not actually ill (she took a sickie only last week and enjoyed a morning in bed). Apparently, it is often used in the idiomatic expression throw a sickie.

25d   Strong draught beer with good head (4)

Some visitors to Big Dave's site point out that Gales was a brand name for ale produced by Gales Brewery (George Gale & Co. Ltd)^[7], an old brewery situated in Horndean, near Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It made the nutty HSB (Horndean Special Bitter) and the newer Gales Bitter.

References: 
^[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
^[2] - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
^[3] - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
^[4] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
^[5] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
^[7] - Wikipedia
^[8] - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
^[9] - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)

Signing off for today - Falcon